But is it Really Art?
by MrBillyD
Summary: Part 2 of my Buffy's New World Order Series. Dawn objects to a certain magazine that Spike has brought into the Summer's House.  Anyone with a fear of big hairy spiders is warned.
1. Chapter 1

But is it Really Art?

Major revisions. This story is part of my The New Buffy World Order Series. Dawn objects to a certain magazine that Spike has brought into the Summer's House, but the magazine contains an article, in which many potential slayers are identified.

I do not own any of these characters. They belong to the Producers of the TV Series Buffy: the Vampire Slayer.

But is it Really Art?

By MrBillyD

1

About an hour after sunset, 15-year-old Dawn Summers came into the living room of the Summers' house. The full figured, Sunnydale High School Sophomore, went over to the coffee table, to straighten up a small pile of magazines.

She took one look at the magazine on the top of the pile and gagged. "Blagh! This is so gross!

"Spike!" She howled in outrage, "You're a total pervert!"

Dawn hurried out of the living room, into the dining room. Spike the vampire sat at the table beside her sister Buffy, the former Vampire Slayer; who'd recently been "Retired by reason of death". They both had porcelain mugs of warmed up blood in front of them. The newly undead Buffy had said it was pigs' blood. Dawn wasn't sure whether to believe her or not.

Before he'd killed her, Spike had been Buffy's not very secret lover. Now that she was just as undead as he was, she'd invited him to move into the house, with her and Dawn.

He spoke to Dawn with annoyance. "What is it now Niblet?"

This time he used that term without endearment.

"It's this magazine you subscribe to!" Buffy's sister declared.

She held the copy of that month's issue of "Undead Life" magazine that she'd picked up from the coffee table.

"Look at that picture on the cover!" Dawn threw the magazine down on the table, in front of Buffy and Spike. "It's two dead women, who are naked!"

Spike now spoke with patience. "It's a magazine that caters to vampires, Little Bint. This type of artwork appeals to us."

"'Artwork'?" Dawn shuddered. "This isn't a painting, or a charcoal sketch. It's a photograph! They're real women, and they really are dead, and they've got a lot of yucky looking strings wrapped around them from head to toe. What kind of 'art' do you call that?"

Buffy spoke with a smile, "It's called 'Necrophilic Art' Dawn."

"I know what it's called! 'Necrophile' means being a pervert, who is sexually attracted to dead people!"

"It's not a perversion," her sister said, "to those of us who are dead people, Dawn."

Dawn shuddered. Then she spoke with hesitation. "Buffy, does this kind of 'artwork', appeal to you too?"

"Yes Dawn it does. I think it's very beautiful."

The girl sighed.

"Now look at what it shows." Buffy pointed. "Here, under a full moon, out in the New England woods, is a beautiful dead woman in her late thirties, named Lorelei Gilmore. She's lying beside the corpse of her very attractive teenage daughter Rory, who was a potential Vampire Slayer. They were killed by a swarm of spiders, that wrapped their nude bodies in spider webs."

Dawn repeated nervously, "Spider webs?"

"That's right. I think it's a strangely beautiful thing to see."

Her sister asked, "But would you really want to hang it on the wall?"

Buffy thought it over. "I'm not sure."

Spike said, "I wouldn't mind hanging it on mine, if it's included in a dead nudies calendar."

Dawn sighed again. Then she said, "Eeeew."

She pointed to the dead girl in the picture. "She's about my age. If I end up looking like her, would you think that was a beautiful piece of art too?"

"Don't worry Dawn." Buffy laughed slightly. "You're so much better looking than she is. I have no doubt that you'd make a much more beautiful nudie corpse, than Rory Gilmore. Don't you agree Spike?"

"No doubt about it." He told Dawn, "I can hardly wait to see you on my calendar, Niblet, in full color glossy."

Then Buffy and Spike both chuckled, as Dawn stormed out of the room.

As her younger sister stamped up the stairs to her room, Buffy called out. "I really think you should take a good look at this magazine Dawn! Then maybe you'll start to understand where Spike and I are coming from!"

The girl shouted back, "I don't want to know any more about it, than I already do! It's all just too gross!"


	2. Chapter 2

2

Buffy and Spike were seated in the living room. They'd turned on the TV and watched the News on CNN.

"We're having dinner with Wolf Blitzer again?" Buffy said, "We've got to get ourselves an unlife."

Dawn came out of her room, and went back down to the dining room. She sat down at the table, and picked up the copy of "Undead Life", that lay there where she'd thrown it.

At the lower right hand corner, of the "Necrophilic" picture on the cover, a caption declared:

"FROM BENEATH THEM IT DEVOURED:

Dead Potential Slayers: page 37."

The distressed High School girl opened the periodical, flipping through disturbingly named and illustrated articles, until she came to the one about Potential Slayers.

The Article declared that a New England "Devouring Team", had ended the potential threat of two potential Slayers, named Rory Gilmore and Sabrina Spellman.

A photograph showed the teenage blonde Miss Spellman, hanging naked from a bridge over the Charles River in Boston. Her neck was crushed by a noose of spider silk spun tight around her neck, and spun in a mass of webs all over her body. A few large, hairy spiders hung against her body on threads of silk.

The Article explained that while Rory Gilmore's mother Lorelei had not been a Potential Slayer, she'd known too much; so the woman had been silenced.

On the next page, a heading declared: "From Beneath Them it Devoured".

Beneath the heading, a full page photo showed an open convertible, stopped by the side of a road, above a Southern California beach. Under the light of a full moon, a naked blonde woman in her early twenties sat dead behind the wheel, tightly wrapped from head to toe in a tight mass of spider webs. Her name was given as Kelly Taylor. Another naked, dead young blonde woman named Donna Martin was stretched out in the backseat, also wrapped in a tight mass of spider webs.

On the opposite page, a different heading declared: "From Beneath Her It Devoured".

Under that heading a photo showed the inside of a Beverly Hills nightclub, named the Peachpit AfterDark. Its dark haired owner, Miss Valerie Malone, also lay dead across a tabletop, where her naked corpse was tightly wrapped in spider webs.

This was followed by a different article with the heading: "From Beneath Them It Will Devour".

This article featured photos of Potential Slayers who were still alive.

The first living Potentials were identified as Paige, Phoebe and Piper Halliwell, of San Francisco.

Dawn thought, the "Charmed Ones"? The witches with the Power of Three, who possess "The Book of Shadows"? One or all of them might be coming here to kill Buffy?

Another yet to be devoured Potential was named Veronica Mars of Neptune California. She was another blonde, described as a "Teenage Nancy Drew". Miss Mars was an amateur detective, who had actually solved some very important murders.

Would she be coming here to kill Buffy?

Then there was one undevoured Potential, who actually lived in Sunnydale itself. Dawn recognized her picture immediately.

She's Amanda! Dawn thought, I go to Sunnydale High with her! She's a friendly girl, who's also tall, thin, and kind of awkward. She attends a few of the same classes with me.

She's gonna try to kill Buffy?

Are the "Charmed Ones": Paige, Piper and Pheobe Halliwell, Veronica Mars and Amanda all gonna try to kill Buffy; unless they get devoured first?

No! Dawn thought. Amanda's not gonna kill Buffy, and neither are the others; and nobody's devouring Amanda!

Then Dawn turned the page, to the photo of the next undevoured Potential Slayer, and she was looking at a picture of herself.


	3. Chapter 3

3

I'm a Potential Slayer? Dawn was horrified, as she sat at the dining room table, looking at the article in "Undead Life" magazine.

No! I'm not killing Buffy; or Spike; or Xander; or Anya. No! Never! Never! Never!

But what if some Devourer comes after me?

"Buffy!" She howled.

Then Dawn jumped up from the chair, and ran into the living room, holding the magazine.

"Have you looked at everything in this?"

Her sister and Spike looked calmly at the horrified expression on the girl's face.

"Dawn." Buffy spoke calmly. "If the pictures in this magazine cause you so much distress, the best thing to for you to do, is just don't look at it."

"It's not the pictures. It's what's written in this article."

Spike smirked. "Yeah--right. That's what they all say."

"I'm being serious Spike. Buffy. In this magazine, they've identified Potential Slayers!"

Buffy and Spike both looked startled.

Buffy said, "They have?"

The former Slayer reached for the magazine, and Dawn handed it to her.

Spike repeated, "Potential Slayers?" as Buffy opened to the page with the article identifying those who had not yet been devoured.

Buffy looked at her sister. "You're one of them?"

"Hey!" Dawn's voice trembled. "I just found out myself! I didn't ask for it! I know you did a great job Buffy, but it's not one I want! You can call England and tell the Council to give it to somebody else!"

"We can't call the Council Dawn. If we do, we'll have to admit that I've been killed, and that I'm now a vampire. Then they'll be forced to choose a new Slayer."

Dawn said, "You haven't told them yet? Not even Giles?"

"Not even Giles."

Now Spike spoke, "It's no secret here in Sunnydale. Word's sure to have reached the Watchers' Council by now."

Buffy pointed to the Magazine. "They're not the only one's who've found out. There's a spy on the Council. He or she has access to their files, and has given all the information about these Potential Slayers to 'Undead Life' Magazine; and they've all been targeted."

Dawn said, "Including me."

"No Dawn." Her sister said, "I'm still the Slayer. Any 'Devourer' who comes after you, will have to deal with me."

Dawn said, "Amanda too, if any devourer goes after her."

"Right."

Spike asked, "What about these other Potentials? Especially the 'Charmed Ones'?"

Buffy told them, "Willow and Anya have the powers to deal with the Halliwell sisters. It'll be best if we leave the 'Charmed Ones' to them. As for the others, we'll have to wait and see."


	4. Chapter 4

4

"The 'Charmed Ones' huh?" Anya asked, "The three witches who vanquish the most powerful demons, by dressing sexy and chanting? You want them devoured?"

"Buffy wasn't sure," Dawn told her, "But Spike was. Just as a precaution."

They were inside the Magic Box. The shop was closed for the evening. Anya, Dawn and Xander were seated at the round table at the back of the selling floor.

"I don't know Dawn." Xander shook his head. "Taking them on would be as rough as it gets. For most demons it's a suicide mission."

"Not any more Xander." Anya said, "Their oldest sister Pru did get killed by a demon. That diminished the power of the other two, making them vulnerable."

Dawn asked, "Haven't you heard? The two younger sisters, Piper and Pheobe, discovered that they have an illegitimate step sister named Paige. They brought her in, and they've got the power of three again. Like Xander said, it'd be a suicide mission."

"That's okay Dawn." Xander told her. "They're only potential Slayers, and they've already got enough on their plates. I don't think they'll be showing up here."

Dawn asked, "What about my classmate Amanda?"

Xander told her, "We'll just keep an eye on her."

"Just an eye?" Anya asked, "Why not a fang, or a pair of them? Just to play it safe."

"We can't." Xander told them. "Unless we know for sure that she's become empowered. Buffy promised Dawn."

Dawn was looking at a different copy, of the same issue of "Undead Life" magazine, that she'd picked up from the shop's magazine rack. She turned one of the pages. Then she exclaimed.

"There's another potential Slayer! Right here in Sunnydale! She's goes to my School too!"

She showed Xander the photo, of a slightly chubby girl, who was forcing a smile.

"Her name's Cassie." Dawn told them. "She's not like Amanda. Amanda's a friendly girl. Cassie keeps to herself, and there's something strange about her. Just like every other Slayer I've ever known."

He said, "Then we'll definitely have to keep an eye on her too."

Anya added sharply, "Or fangs in her!"

"Only if we know for sure." He told his fiancée, "On the other hand, I wouldn't mind if she is. This girl definitely has more than enough blood in her, so that you and I might share her for dinner my dear."

Anya smiled, "Thank you Xander. He's so thoughtful, isn't he Dawny?"

Dawn repeated, "'Thoughtful'?"

Anya said, "Can I look at that?"

Dawn handed her the magazine. Anyanka the Vengeance Demon flipped through a few pages, until she found the article she was looking for.

"Ah-hah!" Anya spoke cheerfully. "Look Xander. An entire article concerning demon weddings. I think we ought to look at this."

He moved over beside her, and began looking at the article.

Dawn asked, "You two aren't thinking of marriage again, are you?"

"Yes Dawnster," Xander told her, "we are. Now that I've been killed, Anya's vengeance has been satisfied, and now that she and I are both demons, we've been reconciled."

Anya exclaimed, "Now don't you think that's wonderful Dawn?"

The girl spoke uneasily. "I'd like to wait and see about that."

"Oh I realize," Anya told her, "that after what happened at the last wedding, everyone's bound to be skeptical; but this'll be a different kind of wedding."

Dawn again spoke uneasily, "Just how different?"

"Last time," Anya explained, "we were having a mortal wedding. This time it'll be a demonic wedding ritual."

She pointed to a photo in the magazine. "Just like this one."

Dawn leaned over, to get a look at the photo, while Xander moved over, to make room for her.

Dawn asked, "Do you still want me, Buffy and Willow as your bridesmaids?"

"Sure I do." Anya told her, "Same as before. Of course, since this won't be a human wedding, you'll be wearing the traditional demon bridesmaids' outfits."

Xander asked, "Burlap infested with blood larvae?"

Dawn repeated nervously, "Burlap? Infested..."

"No." Anya assured them. "Forget the burlap. Let's have some class."

Dawn sighed in relief. So did Xander

"It'll be like you see in this photo. The bridesmaids are all wearing the flayed skins of their enemies."

"Flayed" Dawn repeated.

Xander repeated, "skins?"

"Of course there will still be the blood larvae. Wouldn't be a real demonic wedding without them."

Dawn asked, "You expect me, Buffy and Willow to attend your wedding, dressed in flayed human skins, while being nibbled on by blood larvae?"

Anya spoke firmly, "When my friend the demon Halfreck had her wedding, I was her Maid of Honor, and that's how I dressed. I wasn't a wussy, and you shouldn't be either."

Dawn repeated, "'Wussy'?"

"Marriage is about commitment girl. That's what weddings are all about. Good or bad, pain or pleasure, you stay committed. Right Xander?"

"Yes dear."

"Another thing." Anya told them, "At a demon wedding, the Bride and Groom express their exclusive commitment, by exchanging the heads of their former rivals."

Dawn asked, "You're going to have a formal exchange of heads?"

"That's right." Anya told them, "To sanctify the vows. Then after the Ceremony, both of those heads will be hung above our bed, on our wedding night."

Xander said, "Isn't love beautiful?"

Dawn asked, "You and Xander are going to exchange the heads of your formal rivals?"

"That's right." Anya smiled pleasantly. "Xander is going to present me with the head of a woman, with whom he's been intimate; and I in turn will present him with the head of a man with whom I've been intimate."

Dawn sounded troubled. "With whom he's been intimate?"

Xander looked away from his fiance, while Anya looked directly at him.

"Now just a minute!" Dawn was indignant. "What happened between Xander and Willow was a long time ago! They were in High School. Willow told me that it was all accidental!"

Anya repeated, "Accidental?" She asked Xander, "What'd you trip and fall on her lips?"

"No." Xander explained, "She fell on mine. No. That didn't sound right. You see, it was all because of Cordelia. She just happened to show up at the wrong time. No. That doesn't sound right either."

Now Dawn asked, "It doesn't have to be Willow's head, does it?"

"No." The Vengeance Demon told her, "Just somebody who my fiance's been intimate with. Maybe he can bring me the head of Cordelia. She actually was his girlfriend."

"No." Xander said, "She's now working for Angel, and we don't want trouble with him, and especially not Buffy."

Anya asked, "Well was there anyone else you were intimate with, Xander?"

Dawn said, "Ooops."

Xander said, "Uh-oh."

"What do they mean by 'Ooops' and 'Uh-oh'?"

"Well you see Anya," Xander explained, "my one true and eternal love. Back when I was attending Sunnydale High School. You remember Faith, the other Vampire Slayer. Well, one night, after I helped her defeat two powerful demons, she...well..."

Dawn spoke sharply, "Buffy told me that Faith used him as her boy-toy!"

"That settles it." Anyanka the Vengeance Demon said, "This simplifies things. At our wedding, I expect Xander to present me with the head of Faith the Vampire Slayer."

Xander looked away from her and Dawn.

"A Vampire Slayer?" He told them, "I don't know what to say."

Anya told him, "You can say, 'Yes, I will bring you her head, my dear'."

"But Anya. A Vampire Slayer."

"You can also bring her flayed skin, for my Maid of Honor to wear."

"Maid of Honor?" Dawn said, "You want Buffy to wear Faith's flayed skin?"

"Yes Dawn, while you and Willow wear the skins of Amanda and Cassie. You can decide between yourselves, whose you want to wear."

Dawn asked, "While all of us are being nibbled by blood larvae?"

Now Xander spoke, "There's something I've just thought of Anya. I'd I have to present you, with the head of your rival, who I'd have to kill. Then you'd have to present me with the head of my rival, who you'd have to kill; and we all know who that rival is."

Dawn asked, "Spike?"

Anya spoke sorrowfully, "Who I used as my boy-toy."

"Forget it Anya." Xander told his bride to be, "You try to kill Spike, and Buffy'll tear you apart."

Dawn asked, "Isn't there anyone else Anya?"

The woman thought it over. "How about the ten foot tall, half ton of flesh Troll named Olaf, who I used to date? Would you like me to hand his head to you Xander?"

He and Dawn both asked in unison, "Isn't there anyone else, Anyanka?"

Now the bell over the entrance jingled, as the front door opened, and someone stepped into the shop.

Anya called out, "I'm sorry! We're closed for the night! You'll have to come back in..."

She'd turned around, and stopped speaking.

A man in his mid forties stood in the open doorway, dressed in a tweedy suit, and glasses.

Xander said, "Giles?"

Dawn called out "Giles!"

Anya jumped up, rushed around the table, and headed toward the man, with her arms outspread. He reached inside his jacket, pulled out a crucifix, and held it up high, for everyone to see.

Anya halted, about halfway between the table and Giles. She turned her face away, and raised her hand, blocking the crucifix from her view.

Xander and Dawn had remained seated. Xander had also turned his face away, and blocked his view with his hand. Dawn did not hide her face from the religious symbol, but she looked very anxious.

Rupert Giles, Buffy's former Watcher, remained standing in the same spot, within reach of the open door. He had a troubled expression on his face.

Then he spoke, with his upper class English accent. "Just as I feared."

Dawn forced a smile. She raised her hand, and waved in his direction.

"Hi Giles. How're you doin'?"

"I'm still alive," he told her, "and apparently, you are the only one, here in this shop, who still is. You're the only one here, who is not cringing at the sight of this crucifix."

Anya still had her hand raised, shielding her eyes.

"Could you put that thing away Giles? I promise that none of us'll hurt you. Whatever's happened, you know you can still trust us."

"I'd like to believe that Anya. I'm sure you all believe that too, but it's best if we all play it safe."

"Right." Now Xander said, "It's true, I'm now a vampire. So are Anya and Buffy. But Buffy is still the Vampire Slayer, and every vamp in this town knows it. Now more than ever, Sunnydale is hers, and so are we; but we're still among the good guys."

Giles said, "Oh I believe you, but the Watchers' Council wouldn't take that chance. They have decided to send in a replacement."

"Replacement?"

Dawn asked, "Has the New Slayer just been empowered? Is it somebody I know?"

"Not exactly." He told them, "Not 'new', and not 'just', but she is someone you all know."

Giles backed away to the door, still holding the crucifix. He looked out the doorway and spoke into the night.

"You can come in now."

A woman in her early twenties strode into the Shop. She wore a tough expression on her face, long black hair, was dressed in a black leather jacket, matching leather slacks and boots. She also wore a backpack.

She stood beside Giles with her arms folded in front of her.

Dawn said, "Good evening Faith."

Anya, the wish granting Vengeance Demon Vampire, remained standing about halfway between the table and Faith. She folded her arms in front of herself and smirked.

She said, "I can't tell you how glad we all are, that you'll be able to attend mine and Xander's wedding."

"Wedding?" Faith chuckled, "Trying again huh? Are you gonna be among the bridesmaids again Dawn?"

"Oh yes. I'll be among the honored, though there are some disagreements about the outfits."

"You mean you're not sure whether you want to be wearing blood larvae, or spider webs?"

Dawn looked at Anya. "Spider webs?"

The bride to be nodded, "If you prefer. Your gown would be spun by dozens of two inch long, hairy spiders, while they're crawling all over you. That is traditionally the bride's gown. That's what I'll be wearing, when Xander kisses the bride."

Xander said, "You will? While they're still crawling?"

"It could be the Bridesmaids' outfits too; if they'd prefer that to the blood larvae."

"Gee." Dawn told her, "I don't know Anya. It's gonna be awfully hard to decide. I'll definitely have to talk it over with Buffy and Willow."

Faith now spoke. "Good idea. I'd like to have a talk with Buffy myself."

The woman reached over her shoulder, into her backpack, and pulled out a foot long, sharp wooden stake.

Anya hurried away from the center of the shop. She moved behind the table, where Dawn and Xander remained seated. Then none of them moved.

"Dawn." Faith said, "I'd like you to call your undead sister for me. Tell her I'm here, I've got my stake, and she's got 15 minutes to show up, before I start using it."


	5. Chapter 5

5

Inside the Magic Box, the time was around 9 PM. Dawn Summers sat between Xander and Anya, at the round table in the rear of the selling floor. She slowly reached into her handbag that lay on the table in front of her, and took out her cellphone.

She tapped out her home phone number, while keeping a cautious eye on Faith, who stood beside Giles, with her arms folded, just inside the entrance of the shop. The foot long stake was firmly gripped in her right hand. The "Closed" sign hung in the door behind this Slayer, facing the street.

Dawn put the phone to her ear and waited.

Then she said, "Hello. Oh hi Willow. This is Dawn."

"Listen." There was a nervous tone in her voice. "I'm in the Magic Box, with Anya and Xander; and you'll never guess who's just shown up. Faith is here, and Giles is with her..."

The high school girl waited. Then she spoke again.

"Hi Buffy." She said, "That's right. She's armed with a stake, and she wants you here in 15 minutes, or she's gonna start using it. What? Okay."

Dawn looked out across the floor.

"Faith." She said, "Buffy wants to talk to you."

The dark haired Slayer remained where she was, with the same hard expression on her face.

She said, "Not 'til she gets here, and she now has 12 minutes."

"Right." Dawn spoke into the cellphone again. "Buffy! You'd better get here fast as possible!"

Now Giles said, "Dawn." There was also a tone of nervousness in his voice. "I'd like to speak with her myself."

"She's on her way."

Faith said, "I can wait Rupert. So can you."

Dawn was still on the phone. "Oh hi again Willow. Listen. Did you know that Anya and Xander are planning another wedding again? She wants you, Buffy and me to be her bridesmaids again. Oh yeah. I wish them well too, but you see, there's something about the choice of gowns, that we're gonna have to discuss with Anya."

Dawn switched off her phone, and put it back inside her handbag.

"Dawn." Giles asked, "Do you want to come over here beside Faith and me, where you'll be safe from those bloodthirsty vampires."

"Sorry Giles," the girl shook her head, "but I'm a lot safer here, beside these bloodthirsty vampires, than I'd be with that bloodthirsty vampire slayer."

Faith said, "Fine with me. Rupert." She spoke to Giles, "Want to go and collect the others."

"Yes Faith. Right away."

Then Giles stepped out of the shop, shutting the door behind himself.

Faith checked her watch. "Ten minutes."

Anya asked, "Just who are these 'others', who you've just sent Giles to go fetch?"

"Other Slayers;" Faith told them, "Or Potential Slayers."

Dawn was troubled, "You mean Amanda and Cassie, who I go to school with? You'll be getting them both killed."

Anya repeated, "'From beneath them it devours' Dawn."

Faith said, "Your classmates aren't the only Potentials there are girl. There are still some who already know how to fight, and how to avoid getting devoured by any kind of 'It'."

Now Dawn was horrified. "The 'Charmed Ones'? The Halliwell sisters, or that teenage detective from Neptune, what's her name?"

Anya said, "Veronica Mars?"

"Could be any of them," Faith smirked, "Or all of them, or more. Like I said, those are gals who know how to fight."

Xander tried to sound calm. "You know it doesn't have to be this way Faith. We don't have to fight. As a matter of fact, we'd rather have you join us at our wedding."

"That's right Faith." Anya's voice was not calm. "Don't you wish you could attend our wedding, instead of trying to kill us?"

"What do you think I'm an idiot?" Faith told her, "I'm not agreeing with any wish, that's spoken by any Wish Granting Vengeance Demon."

Anya shrugged. "Well, it's worth a shot."

Now Xander said, "Then I wish that Faith could attend, just like we were talking about."

"Thank you, my love." Anya smirked, "So you have wished it; so shall it be done."

Dawn was startled. "What did you do Xander? Anya! What's gonna happen?"

Anya continued smirking. "Instead of Faith killing us, Xander and I will be getting married, and she'll be attending the Ceremony."

Faith said, "I'd like to see just how you're gonna pull that off, girl."

Xander's fiancee told her. "Oh no you won't." Then she clapped her hands once.

At that moment, the door behind Faith flew open. A horde of tiny black creatures, swarmed through the open doorway, and surged across the floor into the shop.

Faith stood there horrified. Anya, Xander and Dawn, stood up behind the table, just as horrified, and ready to run out the back.

Dawn cried out, "Anya! What have you done?"

Faith howled. "Spiders!"

The horde of black, hairy, two inch long spiders surrounded Faith. In a moment they were climbing her legs, both inside and outside her slacks. They swarmed all over her body, out along her arms, up her neck, onto her face and on top of her head, while spinning out threads of glistening silk, tightening them all over her.

Faith was screaming in horror; as were Dawn and Anya. She flailed around with her stake, trying to knock the creatures away. She folded her arms in front of her face, while she screamed.

"Get 'em off of me! Get 'em off!"

Her dark leather jacket was swarming with spiders. She reached up, unzipped the jacket, and pulled it off, knocking some of the creatures away. That revealed more spiders crawling all over her blouse, and under her blouse. They were ripping her top garment to shreds, along with her bra, while continuing to spin out thick chords of silk, wrapping them tightly around her.

Her dark leather slacks were also being ripped into shreds, while her legs were wrapped in more thick, tight chords of silk.

The howling woman collapsed to the floor, being quickly covered, from head to foot, with tightly woven sticky, shiny webs of silk, that were hidden beneath the hairy, crawling layer of swarming spiders.

Back behind the table, Anya, Dawn and Xander were all frozen in horror at the sight.

Dawn asked Anya with a trembling voice "Is that the type of gown, you were talking about us wearing?"

"It wouldn't be anywhere near as bad as this, if you start out naked and just stand still. Halfreck said that it just kind of tickles."

Inside the silk shroud, Faith was trying with great difficulty, to push the thick, sticky fabric away from her face with her bare hands. She was gasping for breath as she tried to clear it out of her hair, in which it was entangled.

Dawn called out, "Anya! You have to stop this now!"

Anya shook herself. Then she said, "Right."

The Vengeance Demon called out, "Raid's here!"

Xander asked, "'Raid's here'?"

Anya shrugged. "Well it's worth a shot."

The spiders continued swarming all over Faith, totally hiding her from view.

Anya called out again. "The Spell is ended!" She clapped her hands once.

Then as quickly as they'd arrived, the horde of spiders came off of Faith's body. They swarmed out through the open doorway, 'til not one of them was left inside the shop. Then the door shut behind them.

Faith lay naked, silent and unmoving on the floor, tightly bound from head to foot, in a mass of glistening webs.

Anya, Xander and Dawn all ran out from behind the table, and hurried over to Faith. They knelt down beside the enveloped Slayer. Dawn picked up the Slayer's stake.

Xander reached out stuck his fingers into the fabric, gripped the tight, sticky threads with his fingers, and began to pull. Faith still didn't move or make a sound.

Xander stopped tugging, and let go of the shroud.

"I have to stop." He told them. "I'm ripping her skin off! The threads are embedded in her skin."

Anya, who also knelt beside him smiled. "Ripping her skin off?"

Dawn asked nervously. "You're not thinking about it as a bridesmaid's outfit, are you?"

Anya nodded. "Along with the head of my rival. Things are beginning to fall into place."

"Forget it!" Dawn said, "That's one place I'm not falling into! Forget it Anya! There's no way I'm gonna be wearing anybody's flayed skin, and I'm not having any of those spiders crawling all over me! Buffy won't, and I'm sure Willow won't either!"

Now the door opened again. Dawn gasped.

This time there were no spiders. Buffy stood in the doorway, along with Spike.

The blonde haired Slayer-Vampire stepped over from the doorway and stood beside the others. Spike came over to Buffy's side, looking at her tightly wrapped rival's body.

Buffy asked, "Is she dead?"

Anya said, "Looks that way. I can't imagine how anyone could survive this. 'From beneath her it devoured'."

Now Spike asked, "What do you mean by 'it'? How'd she get devoured this way? I didn't think that any of you blokes here would be powerful enough."

Dawn said with a whimpery voice, "One of us was."

Anya raised her hand. "All we needed was one wish, one vengeance demon, and lots and lots of spiders; and wah-lah! One dead Slayer."

"Spiders?" Spike said, "You mean that big swarm of what looked like a tarantula parade, that we passed while we were driving down Main Street? I'm glad we had the windows closed."

Now Buffy asked, "So where's Giles?"

Xander said, "Faith sent him out to go fetch. She said that he was gonna be coming back here with other potential slayers."

Buffy's voice became tense. "Have other potentials arrived in Sunnydale?"

"If they have," Anya assured her, "then from beneath them they'll be devoured, by those big, hairy spiders."

"Anya!" Dawn shrieked. "That means the spiders'll be coming after Amanda, and Cassie!" She thought for a moment. Then she spoke quietly, "And me."


	6. Chapter 6

6

Buffy and Spike drove home, with Dawn in the backseat. The girl sat nervously looking out the windows, into the dark, residential streets of Sunnydale.

"I don't see any spiders." she told them.

Buffy told her, "They were supernatural spiders, conjured up by Anyanka just for that one spell. Now that the spell is ended, I'm sure they've just vanished."

Her little sister said, "Or maybe they're crawling all over Amanda and Cassie, as we speak."

Spike said, "Well they are both potential slayers little Bint."

Dawn made a distressed sob.

She repeated, "So am I."

When they arrived home, no spiders were waiting for them on the lawn. The horde was not crawling all over the Summers' house, nor anyone inside or outside. Nothing looked different. The lights were on inside, and so was the porch light. Willow was seated on the porch swing, and Giles sat beside her.

Buffy, Spike and Dawn drove up and parked in the driveway, got out of the car and headed for the porch, peering cautiously for spiders on the lawn. They stepped up onto the porch, where Willow and Giles greeted them.

Now Buffy spoke, "Nice to see you again Giles."

"And I am relieved to see you again Buffy." He added, "I wasn't sure that I would."

"What's going on Giles?" Buffy asked, "You found out that I'm now a vampire, and you brought Faith to kill me?"

"No. The Council sent me only to watch her. I was sure you'd be able to handle her, without my aid. I can see that I was correct."

"I'm not the one who handled her."

"You're not?"

Spike explained, "The other Slayer was done in by a massive plague of spiders."

Giles and Willow were both startled.

Willow asked, "Spiders?"

Dawn told them, "You'll have to ask Anya about that. She can explain it all to you."

At that moment a car drove up, stopped and parked along the curb at the end of the front walk. Anya's and Xander's voices were heard arguing inside the vehicle.

The two got out of the car and approached the porch, coming up the front walk.

Xander said, "You know Anya, you don't have to go through with it."

"Yes I do Xander. Now that someone who you've had casual sex with is dead, you have to present her head to me at our wedding; and I'll have to present you with the head of someone who I've had casual sex with."

Now the couple had reached the foot of the porch steps. Spike stood at the top of the steps, with his arms folded in front of him.

"Exactly," he asked, "whose head is that Anyanka?"

The Vengeance Demon looked away from him.

Buffy also challenged, "I'd like to hear that myself."

"Well..." Anya stammered for a few moments. Then she said, "It doesn't have to be Spike's. I mean... Well...It could be anyone else who I've had casual sex with."

Xander asked, "And exactly who would that be?"

His fiancee looked puzzled for a few long moments.

"Well, when I started with you, I expected it just to be casual, but then our feelings got in the way. Before that...well they're all dead and dust by now, so I'm not sure. On the other hand...

"Ah-hah!" Anya perked up. "It doesn't have to be someone who I've already done it with. It could be someone who I will be doing it with."

Her fiance asked, "Will be?"

"Right. I'll go out dressed real skanky. Pick up some stranger, and have casual sex with him. Then, since I'm now a vampire, I'll kill him when we're having an orgasm; just like you did with me. You know; 'Bang him, bite him, and behead him'. Then his head'll be the one that I'll present to you when we exchange wedding vows. Is that okay with you?"

"I'm not sure Anya." Xander said, "I'll have to think it over."

Giles sounded troubled. "'Think it over'?"

"Well you see Giles." Willow told him, "There've been some major changes, since you've been away."

He sighed. Then he said, "That's fairly obvious."

Buffy said, "There's something else Giles. Anya said that Faith told you to go out and round up some potential slayers. You have to tell us who they are, and if they're here in Sunnydale."

He said, "You no longer have to worry about every potential out there Buffy. There is only one. Now that Faith is dead, and you are no longer alive, but undead, the next Slayer is about to become empowered. You should forget about all the others, and concentrate on finding her, before she shows up armed and ready to fight."

"Finding her?" Buffy asked, "Don't you know who she is, or where she is?"

"Not exactly. She's most likely to be one of those, who were identified in 'Undead Life' magazine."

Dawn asked sharply, "Is it Amanda, or Cassie? Tell me Giles. Is it me?"

"I wish I knew." Buffy's former Watcher told them all, "If I did, I'd have told all of you."

Spike asked, "Is there some way to find out?"

Now Willow perked up. "No problem everybody. Locator Spell."

Giles repeated "'Locator spell'? A spell? Before I left, Willow, I was growing concerned by your growing involvement in the occult."

"It's not just growing Rupert." She told him, "It's fully matured. I am now among the most powerful witches west of the Pecos, that is if I am west of wherever the Pecos is."

"And just how powerful is that?"

"I believe I'm powerful enough, to hold my own against the Charmed Ones."

"The Halliwell Sisters?"

Anya told him, "If they do decide to bring their Power of Three here to Sunnydale, the bridesmaids at mine and Xander's wedding, will be carrying their heads, along with wearing their flayed skins."

Dawn shouted, "Will you stop talking about that Anya? I told you to forget it! It's just too gross!"

"Willow." Buffy said, "How about preventing trouble before it starts?"

The freckled red head smiled. "That's exactly what I am about to do.

She got up off the porch swing and said, "I have to be alone to perform the spell. Just give me fifteen minutes."

Dawn asked, "Then what?"

"Then what happened to Faith, will also happen to the next Slayer within twenty-four hours after she becomes empowered."

"Willow!" Dawn told her, "You might be doing that to me!"

Anya spoke. "Don't worry Dawny. Just make sure you don't go anywhere, until after you've sprayed yourself from head to toe with Raid."


	7. Chapter 7

7

Dawn couldn't sleep that night. She'd made sure that her window was shut, along with all the other doors and windows in the house, but she still wondered if spiders would attack her. She quivered at every sudden sound. Even the softest click made her gasp.

She also wondered about Amanda and Cassie.

She thought, If one of them is attacked and killed by a horde of spiders, that'll mean that she was the Slayer, and not me. Then they won't attack me.

She felt bad about thinking that way.

When she arrived at Sunnydale High the next morning, Dawn wasn't sure how she felt, when she saw Amanda in homeroom, acting no different than always, obviously unaware of what might happen to her.

Dawn thought, Her skin would be a tight fit.

The homeroom teacher Mrs. Brinkman was calling the roll.

She called out, "Cassie--?"

Amanda, who was seated on Dawn's left, raised her hand and spoke in a casual tone. "I heard she got killed last night. She was at home, alone in her own room. It happened sometime after midnight. She'd left her window open."

Dawn thought, Cassie's skin wouldn't fit as tight as Amanda's. I have to stop thinking this way.

Mrs. Brinkman asked, "Are you sure about that Amanda?"

The girl said, "Well that's what I've heard from some other people."

A few other students nodded and spoke in agreement.

A boy said, "That means that if she's been vamped, she'll be re-enrolling here for night classes, next Monday."

"Vamped?" Dawn leaned over and asked Amanda, "Wasn't she killed by a lot of big hairy spiders?

"Spiders?" Amanda snickered. "Where'd you get that idea?"

The boy said, "I heard about a woman who was found dead last night. She was covered all over with spider webs, and she'd been bitten to death by spiders. But that was in a back alley off Main Street, just behind that magic shop."

He told Dawn, "She wasn't Cassie."

Amanda said, "Then Cassie was killed by a vampire, as usually happens Dawn." She chuckled. "What else would you expect in Sunnydale?"

Right. Dawn thought, What else would I expect? Or who else? Who else? Had Xander shared a meal of Cassie's blood with Anya, as he'd suggested?

The Teacher said, "Now let this be a lesson to all of you. Don't forget to hang either a cross, along with a sprig of garlic in your window, if you're going to sleep with it open. If not, you may be joining Cassie, along your other undead classmates, who've begun attending night classes here at Sunnydale High; and also remember to be careful who you invite into your house."

After that morning's classes ended, Dawn headed for the Sunnydale High cafeteria. She stopped in the corridor, just outside the lunchroom, reached in her handbag, and took out her cell phone. She tapped out her home number, put the device to her ear, and waited.

Then she said, "Hi Buffy. This is Dawn."

Her big sister said, "Hi Dawny."

"Buffy." The girl spoke quietly. "Did you hear that Cassie was killed last night? By a vampire, not a swarm of spiders?"

"That's what I've been told. It was a routine vampire killing. Except that she wasn't vamped. She'll stay permanently dead, which is a good idea. One Slayer-Vampire in Sunnydale is enough."

Dawn asked. "Then she was killed just to keep her from becoming the next Slayer? But she hadn't actually become the next Slayer?"

"I have no actual knowledge about her killing Dawn, or the motive, beyond that of a vampire having a meal."

"Do you know who didn't vamp her?"

"Nobody's talking." The Slayer-Vampire told her, "But cheer up Dawn. Whoever it was, just might have kept those big, hairy supernatural spiders from crawling all over my little sister. I'm sure you wouldn't want that, would you?"

"No. Yuck! But what about Amanda?"

"Dawn." Buffy sighed. "Do you really have to ask?"

"But can't you at least wait 'til you know for sure, who the new Slayer is?"

"I can wait, 'cause I know I can handle whoever he is or she is, but most of the vamps in this town can't, and they don't want to take the risk."

"But Buffy."

"It'll be best for everybody concerned, Dawn."

"Except Amanda."

Buffy hung up.

Dawn switched off her cell phone, put it back in her handbag, and headed into the lunchroom.

Amanda was seated alone at one of the tables. The tall, thin girl wore a light blue dress. She sipped milk from a plastic container while looking naturally awkward and nonchalant; completely unaware that she'd probably be as dead as Cassie, before next morning's sunrise.

Dawn wondered, Should I warn her? If I do would I be betraying...

Forget that! Of course I'm gonna warn her!

Dawn came over to the table, where the potential slayer was eating lunch alone.

"Hi Amanda."

Her tall, thin classmate smiled, "Hi Dawn."

"Listen Amanda." Dawn lowered her voice. "I have something very important to tell you."

"Important? Did they find out about who..."

"No. Listen. You know about my Sister Buffy?"

"I know that she used to be the Vampire Slayer, until she met the vampire who got lucky. Now she's undead, and she's switched over to the vampires' side, as is to be expected. That's why there's been an increase in the number of Sunnydale High students who've enrolled in the night classes, over the last few weeks."

"Listen Amanda." Dawn sat down, across the table from her. "There are a lot of vampires in this town who want to kill you."

"Yeah. I know."

"You do?"

"They want to kill every girl in Sunnydale High. We're all on every vampire's menu, but that's something I can handle."

Buffy's sister asked cautiously, "How do you know you can 'handle' it?"

"I always hang a cross and a sprig of garlic around my neck, and another sprig and cross in my window. I never invite a stranger into the house, and I never go out at night alone. That's all anybody needs, isn't it?"

"Right. Normally, but I'm talking about certain vampires that I've heard about. They want to kill you, more than any other girl in Town."

"Me?" Amanda chuckled, "I thought that male vampires preferred girls who are a lot sexier than me, or at least have more juicy meat on them. You know, like Cassie or you." She giggled, "I hear it's a matter of 'penetration' and 'satisfying discharge of warm bodily fluid'."

"There's a lot more to this than bloodlust Amanda. You've been identified as a potential vampire slayer."

The girl gasped in horror. "Me?"

"Yeah girl. You." Dawn told her trembling classmate, "There's a very good chance that you'll be the one who's empowered any day now. That makes you target number one."

"'A good chance'? That means you don't know for sure."

"Whether or not anyone knows for sure, every vampire in town wants to make every potential Slayer on Earth permanently dead, as a pre-emptive strike."

Amanda spoke nervously, "Then I suppose that a cross and a sprig of garlic won't be enough to stop them, will they?"

"They would, but only temporarily, if they're really intent on killing you. Since they are intent, they won't be stopped, unless you really are the next slayer; and if you are, you'd better get empowered really quick."

The trembling girl said, "Then the best thing for me to do, is to go into hiding, until the vampires know who it is for sure."

"Sounds good." Dawn asked, "Do you have any idea where you'll go?"

"I know exactly," the girl spoke calmly, "and I've got enough sense, not to tell the sister of the Vampire Queen of Sunnydale, where I'm gonna be."

"Yeah. I understand that."

"Then understand this too." Amanda told her. "I'll wait 'til I've been informed that the new Slayer has been empowered. Once she is, your sister Buffy had better hope that the new Slayer isn't me."

Amanda stood up. She picked up her tray and headed toward the trash containers.

Dawn thought, You're the one who'd better hope that the new Slayer isn't you, Amanda. If you are, you'll be identified by the spiders.


	8. Chapter 8

8

Dawn's first class after lunch period was History. Amanda was not present. When classes ended for the day, Dawn went to her locker, which was within sight of Amanda's locker. Amanda was not there. Dawn asked around. Nobody had seen Amanda after lunch period ended.

Dawn arrived home about a half hour later. She climbed up onto the unoccupied porch, and went through the front door into the Summers' house.

Buffy was in the living room watching the TV with Spike. Wide World of Hellish Sports was being broadcast on the Demon Network, Channel 666. On screen a dozen demon sword women with horns on their heads, fought to the death while wearing only their sneakers.

Buffy asked, "So how was school today Dawn?"

"Same as usual." The girl spoke haltingly. "It's just that...I hope you won't get angry...But I...I warned Amanda that she was among the potential slayers."

Spike and Buffy turned their attention from the TV to Dawn.

Spike repeated, "You warned her? Are you sure that was wise little Bint?"

"She's told me she was going into hiding Spike. I'm sure she's getting as far away from Sunnydale as she can get, as fast as possible. She's a smart girl. I'm sure she'll have enough sense not to ever come back."

Buffy asked, "Are you really sure about that, or are you guessing?"

"Well she told me that she knew exactly where she'd be going to hide. She wasn't gonna tell me, to make sure that I wouldn't tell you."

"Dawn." Spike said, "If Amanda already knew where to hide, that means she was already prepared to become the Slayer, before you warned her."

Buffy said, "She might already be empowered."

"The last thing that Amanda said to me," Dawn told her sister, "was that if the new Slayer has been empowered, you had better hope that the new Slayer isn't her, Buffy."

Spike said, "Your classmate has a Slayer's attitude already, Niblet."

"But that doesn't mean she is the Slayer."

"Slayer or not," Buffy said, "her attitude makes her dangerous. Would you have any idea where she might be hiding?"

"No." She told them, "But if she is the next Slayer, shouldn't we just wait for the spiders to find her?"

Spike asked, "Spiders again?"

Dawn nodded, "If they kill her, then I can't be held responsible for it, in any way; or can I?"

Buffy sighed, "Dawn. I know these last few weeks have been very challenging for you."

"'Challenging' is the word for it."

"But life in Sunnydale as it is now would be much easier for you, if you became a vampire yourself."

Dawn shouted, "You said you'd never let that happen to me!"

"Oh I won't, but if you choose to become one of us on your own, I won't try to stop you. You know that football player you had a crush on, R.J? Well, I've heard that he's now enrolled in the night classes. You might want to try out for the undead cheerleaders squad."

"Forget it!" The girl screamed, "That's never going to happen!"

The girl rushed out of the living room, and out through the screen door onto the front porch. She was about to hurry down the steps, when she froze.

Thousands of two inch long, black hairy spiders were spread out all over the front lawn and the front walk. Some crawled slowly back and forth across the porch steps, and others were already crawling around the wooden planks of the porch itself, surrounding the Sunnydale High School Sophomore.

"Buffy!" She bellowed, "You can forget about Amanda! I know who the new Slayer is!


	9. Chapter 9

9

On the front porch of the Summer's house, the black, hairy, eight legged creatures were beginning to close in on Dawn.

She again called out, "Buffy!" Then she shouted, "It's the spiders!"

The swarm of creatures had her completely surrounded.

"Dawn!" Buffy called out behind her.

The trembling girl turned around slowly. She faced the open doorway, where her sister now stood behind the screen door with Spike. Dawn didn't move. Both vampires looked horrified.

"Dawn." Buffy spoke nervously. "You're standing out there in the daylight. If Spike or I came out there, we'd burn up into dust and cinders. We can't do a thing to save you."

Spike said, "Sorry Niblet."

Dawn looked at the narrowing circler of spiders that moved between her and the door.

"Open the door!" She said, "I think I can leap over them!"

The screen door creaked open a crack.

Then the spiders swarmed.

In a moment they were climbing the screaming girl's legs, going up under her skirt, and over her skirt; climbing over her blouse, and under her blouse, ripping her garments to shreds. Then they covered her body, totally hiding her beneath a thick, swarming layer of their dark, hairy selves.

Buffy shouted "Keep still Dawn! Don't move your arms or legs! Stay still!"

The nervously sobbing girl kept still, trying not to move, as the swarm sprayed out sticky webs all over her body, wrapping her in a crude white layer of silk, from just below her knees, all the way up to her neck, and halfway down her upper arms. They did not touch her neck, or climb on her head. They did not touch her face.

Her sister and Spike remained behind the screen door, unable to do anything to help her.

Then Buffy said, "Get the Raid, Spike! Get the Raid! It's in the kitchen, in the cabinet under the sink!"

Spike was gone from behind the screen door.

At that moment, the swarm of spiders stopped spinning their webs. They came rushing down Dawn's torso, along her legs to her feet. They rushed away from her body, off the porch, down the front steps, and away from the front lawn. The dark, hairy creatures hurried down Robello Drive, and were gone from sight.

Now Dawn, who stood there shaking, cried out a loud bellowing sob.

"Buffy! I don't want any more of this! I don't want any more of this! I don't want to be the Slayer!"

Buffy opened the screen door for her sister, who hurried inside. Buffy shut the front door, shutting out the light of late afternoon.

The two women stood in the foyer, while Spike hurried out of the kitchen, with his fingers gripped around a can of insecticide.

He said lamely, "Raid's here."

"Thank you Spike," Buffy told him, "but that's no longer necessary."

"How are you Niblet?" he asked.

"I wasn't killed?" The trembling girl sobbed, "They didn't kill me. I didn't try to fight them off, and they didn't kill me."

Spike said, "Excuse me for saying so Dawn, but I think you ought to put on more than these spider webs. Right now you're dressed just like the dead women, in that magazine you don't care for. The difference is that right now you're no work of art, but I can still see everything."

"'Undead Life'?" Dawn sobbed. "Yeah right. I...I'll put more on."

"Wait." Buffy told her, "Let me get a scissors and cut you out of that first."

"Scissors?" He sister said, "Right. Just be careful how you cut it."

"Careful?"

"That's right. The Spiders didn't kill me, so that means I'm not the new Slayer. Amanda'll still have to be vamped, unless the spiders get to her first."

"But if you're not the new Slayer," Spike asked, "Why were you attacked?"

"I think," Dawn told them both, "that the spiders might have been preparing me for Xander's and Anya's wedding."

"Their wedding?" Now Buffy trembled a little. "You mean that Willow and me are..."

Dawn nodded, "The spiders have just presented me with my bridesmaid's outfit."

Her sister said nervously, "Then Willow and I should expect to have our outfits delivered the same way?"

"It'll be okay," the girl told her, "as long as you don't move. 'It just kind of tickles'."


End file.
